Question:
DELL e1505 or ASUS s96j?
Well, I had pretty much decided on getting the DELL E1505 but then I ran across a custom built ASUS s96j through Geared2Play. The only big difference in the two is that the asus has an x1600 instead of the x1400. Is it worth the extra $100 plus shipping just for that GPU? Is the ASUS a higher quality machine?
Geared2Play Asus s96j:
Intel Core Duo T2400 1.83GHZ
1024mb DDR2 667mhz (1 DIMM)
15.4 WXGA (1280x800) Glossy
DVD/RW SuperMulti DVD Burner
ATI x1600 256mb
100GB 7200rpm SATA Drive
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g Intel 3945
6 cell Li-Ion battery
$1364.00
DELL E1505
Intel Core Duo T2400 1.83GHZ
1024mb DDR2 533mhz (2 DIMM)
15.4 Wide Screen SXGA+ w/ True Life
8x DL DVD/RW SuperMulti DVD Burner
ATI x1400 256mb w/ Hypermemory
100GB 7200rpm SATA Drive
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g Intel 3945
9 cell Li-Ion battery
$1,266.00 (2,016.00-750.00)
I already posted my FAQ on here but here it is again.
General Questions
1) What is your budget? No more than $1,500.00
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook? Some Gaming, Graphic Design, Website Coding, and general tasks.
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk? I will be using it in college.
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games? Yes, MX vs. ATV Unleashed, Call of Duty 2, and WoW.
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like? I prefer HP or DELL, but am open to other brands.
7) How many hours of battery life do you need? 2-3 min.
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person? No.
9) What country are you buying this in? United States
Screen Specifics
10) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
WXGA = Widescreen eXtended Graphics Array; 1280x768 or 1280x800; This resolution offers the same as XGA except that there is more horizontal real estate; 1280 versus 1024. Popular for movie viewing due to support for widescreen.
11) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen? Preferably Glossy.
Build Quality and Design
12) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you? Yes.
13) How long do you want this laptop to last? 2-3 years min.
Notebook Components
14) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB? 80GB min.
15) Do you need a DVD, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-R drive? I need a DVD/RW drive.
Answer:
Re: DELL e1505 or ASUS s96j?
I think i've assimilated enough information to say go with the asus. The x1600 is a huge performance leap from the x1400, and it "future proofs" it a little better. The x1400 can play games today, just not at higher settings like the x1600, so assuming the newer games will be more demanding, your gpu will hold a better usage longer. Asus, is also reguarded as one of the top brands quality wise. If you don't care about portability, then you can configure a e1705 with a 7800go plus i think there is another 100$ off coupon (not sure) from dell. The ram in 2 slots also limits your capacity to upgrade. You would want either 1gb in one slot or two 1 gb sticks in two slots. That will add to the price of dell, plus there is a speed difference in the ram. I don't know, the e1705 might bench higher in gfx, but it is 2 inches bigger too. Other people will probably have more to say.
Edit : I'm not sure but i think the speaker quality is better on the dell series, and the screen?
Answer:
Re: DELL e1505 or ASUS s96j?
deadbolt has it pretty much. the x1600 will perform about 30-40% better than the x1400. if you want to play games 2 years down the road, it's more likely that the x1600 will be able to play it. also, the build quality of asus is superior, and i have feeling that you will have a better quality screen with asus. though 7800go in the e1705 if you don't mind the size difference, would be the strongest gpu for your price range.
Answer:
Re: DELL e1505 or ASUS s96j?
Ok, that's what I was thinking. My only other concern is that the asus only comes with a 6 cell battery. Does anyone know how long battery life will be with that. I'd liked to get at least 2 hours out of one battery.
Answer:
Re: DELL e1505 or ASUS s96j?
check the asus forum. there is a decent amount of information about the s96j.
Answer:
Re: DELL e1505 or ASUS s96j?
I would get the asus-better components in graphics and memory and better quality. battery life I would check out asus forum.
Answer:
Re: DELL e1505 or ASUS s96j?
im not sure where 30-40% figure comes from when the 3d mark scores are double.
mi recomended specs for oblivian, a game out today is an x800, more powerful than the x1600 but close
what about oblivian 2, or next years games? an x1600 is the min i would get i wouldnt want to spend that much cash, and be out of date out of the box.
the dell has only one advantage in that it can come with a higher resolution screen. not better or clearer
the two machines are actualy both the cheapies. but asus is abetter brand. youve got the ford escort and the honda civic here. theyre both cheap cars but one is at least made by honda. id put my risk there personally.
the dell e1705, now thats a different story. i think thats a better deal if it can fit with your situation.
Answer:
Re: DELL e1505 or ASUS s96j?
You can get the ASUS with a WSXGA screen at www.geared2play.com it's at a steep price though, $300 USD.
Answer:
Re: DELL e1505 or ASUS s96j?
x1600 would chew through more battery keep in mind. though you can get a 9 cell battery for this model.
Answer:
Re: DELL e1505 or ASUS s96j?
Ok, well when I add in the OS (XP Home) and an extra battery it brings the price up to $1558.00. A little out of my range, I can get it down to $1438.00 if I lower the hard drive rpm's to 5400 and the processor to a T2300. Is it still a better deal like that? How much of a difference will those changes make? Also, according to Geared2Play the battery life is 4 hours. However i found a review that puts battery life at 1.5 hours while watching a DVD on full brightness. So im guessing it to be around 2-3 hours with normal tasks.